Prayer
by frizzle1872
Summary: All Carol wanted was to let it all go...


**A\N Hey there! ^.^ This is NOT my usual fluff, this is a bit more serious, but it does have Caryl, so enjoy! :D**

**Please review :))**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill, ya'll :P**

Carol was cold—no freezing. She was certain her feet were a purple as her lips were blue, she was sure of it. Winter had come, harsh, merciless and it came with death. Carol knew it was to be bad, but not this terrible, not this gruesome.

"Carol, come on baby, we gotta go," Lori ushered, her voice barely above a whisper. Lori, poor, sweet Lori. Her boy, her baby Carl was taken from her arms, ripped to shreds, gone. Just like Sophia, he was gone. But this was worse, Lori saw him die, saw him cry in agonizing pain, and all she could do was run away, run away and not look back.

"Coming," Carol smiled as best she could. She lifted herself from her tent which was useless to her, and folded it in a neat pile along with her clothes. She missed warmth, safety, and protection. But that was gone now. Their group had become somber and weak since Carl's death. And Maggie's. Glenn was no longer spunky, uplifting, enthusiastic. The boy who couldn't be broke...

Was broken.

Carol managed to clamber on to the R.V. Though reluctant. She sighed as she knew they were traveling _again. _That all they were to do, was travel. Carol knew once she felt safe, she had a haven, she was warm.

But he was gone.

_Daryl_ was gone.

Carol almost couldn't believe it when Lori had ran to her, rambling frantically about walkers. Carol had tried to follow along with her disoriented words and sobbing manner.

"Lori!" She had screamed, to get the younger woman to tell her slowly. Lori almost couldn't contain her overflowing tears as Carol lovingly stroked her hair to calm her down.

"I-it's Daryl, he's been bit, Carol!" Lori blubbered, finally breaking. But that was all Carol needed to hear before her legs bolted in the first direction she could think of, aimlessly looking for him. He was gasping and grunting from the pain and she ordered everyone to step away from him. They as told, though she knew they weren't far from them.

"How...how could you have gotten bit before me?" Carol whispered almost inaudibly. Daryl half0smiled at her as much as he could muster, still wanting to show her he was strong, brave, but then he wasn't, he was scared shitless. Carol's tears triggered some of his own that he blinked back as she gently caressed his hand.

"I've killed more than you. 'Reckon they have a grudge 'gainst me, waitin' to attack," He answered lazily.

"You shouldn't be jokin'!" Carol cried, digging her nails unconsciously into Daryl's bitten hand. He cursed under his breath, and although weak, he managed to lift a hand to her tears and wipe them away.

"I ain't jokin'. Look, one jus' came outta nowhere. I'm pissed that I'm leavin', trust me. But I want you to keep on livin', alright?" Daryl looked deeply into her eyes with pure sincerity and she nodded tearfully, feeling her heart break as he writhed in pain before her. Her cries were becoming louder and louder as he was slowly dying in front of her. He shakily grabbed a gun in his holster and thrusted it to her. She looked at it, and smacked it away immediately.

"No, I'm not killin' you," She said as defiantly as she could. Daryl gently rubbed her cheek and bit his lip as another surge of pain seered through him.

"Dammit," He breathed and looked at her again, "I only want you doin' this. I don't want anyone else, you're mine and I need you to be the last person I see before I turn into a monster," Carol shook her head and threw the gun to the ground.

"I can't Daryl! I can't kill you, with your blood on me and your sweet face just...just gone!" She exclaimed, covering her mouth as sobs racked through her body. He grunted, but eventually propped himself up until he was eye to eye with her. He leaned forward and kissed her, knowing it was his last. She clutched onto him for dear life, not wanting to let him go. The deeper the kiss got, the harder it was to accept and finally he pulled away, short of breath.

"Do it," He commanded with a fierce look. Carol whimpered a final time before giving him one last peck on the lips and one on the forehead.

"I love you Daryl," She admitted softly. Carol felt that this moment, her first time saying it to him, was probably the best one to pick. As his distorted face tried to decipher what she said, grabbed the gun, ready in hand, and breathed slowly.

"Love ya too," She closed his eyes for him and laid him down. She put the gun to his head and inhaled.

_Bang_.

Carol shuddered thinking of it, her heart mourning in pain. She didn't know how she had stayed alive longer than him, than Daryl, the expert hunter, tracker, and killer of zombies.

Rick finally instructed they stop at a school and rest there. The school was freezing, and tiled floors were no better than the cold ground. She set up her tent and found her toes to be completely numb, as she couldn't even feel them anymore. Everyone was off in bed, while she was curled up, motionless, and cold.

"_Just close you eyes, the sun is goin' down. You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now. Come mornin' light, you and I'll be safe and sound..." _Carol sang softly into the darkness. It was a song Sophia listened to often and now she knew why. Carol needed Daryl, she needed his gruff smiles and strange humor. His overprotecting stares, she needed _him_. She sighed and did something she almost forgot how to do.

She prayed.

Ever since Sophia, she wasn't on very good terms with God, but this time, she had one last prayer, one last request.

"God, please take me. Let me go...I am ready to see Sophia, to see Daryl. I am ready to die," Carol pleaded into the dark air. She rolled over and pulled her thin blanket up to her shoulders for some warmth it could provide, and said, "I want to die, I want to die, I want to die..."

~ . ~

Morning had arrived as Carol's eyes fluttered open. She gasped as the school was gone, Andrea, Lori, T-Dog, they were all gone. The darkness and cold were gone. All she could feel was warmth, tenderness and she could help but smile, though she had nothing to smile about. She looked around, desperately for something, but could only find this whiteness that surrounded her. Finally she saw something, something, _blonde_. She ran to it, her legs lighter than she anticipated. It was her, her baby.

Sophia.

"Sophia!" She cried happily. Sophia turned and squealed in delight. They all but galloped to each other in utter elatedness

"You finally decided to some, Mommy!" She cheered. She guided Carol in a random direction until all she saw was Cherokee roses. Carol gasped and Sophia grinned. "Do you like it?"

"It's gorgeous," She breathed, barely taking it all in. Sophia giggled and disappeared for a moment before returning with more people. Carol almost double-overed in utter shock as Amy, Dale, Shane, Jim, Jaquie, and Carl appeared before her. Then, the big one, Daryl. Her sweet Daryl emerged wearing the distraught, angry face she had loved so much. She didn't give him time, as she tackled him.

"'Ey Carol," He greeted easily.

"Daryl...where are we?" She questioned uneasily. She didn't want this to be a dream, she needed this to be true. He finally smiled at her the first time since their reunited phase. It was a genuine smile that stretched across his face making his face glow.

"We're gone, baby. We're safe with everyone ya know and love," Carol choked on her short breath before tears flooded her eyes as she smiled, feeling happier than she ever did before. Sophia bombarded Carol again, wrapping her thin arms around her waist and she melted into her grasp and pretty soon, she forcefully added Daryl.

"I love you both," She said, burying her head deeper into Daryl's warm shoulder.

"I love you too, Mommy!" Sophia cheered.

"What she said," Daryl smirked, kissing Carol gently.

"Ew!" Sophia shrieked.

As Carol was laughing and smiling being with her daughter and her love, Lori and Andrea, sobbing, wrapped Carol's lifeless body into a sheet and buried her deep into the soil that they would leave that day.

After all, they were struggling to survive in a cruel world, one full of hunger, fear, and hurt. And Carol was nothing more than a lifeless body who had wished to go...

And her wish was granted.

**A\N I hope you liked it! ^.^ Sorry if it dragged a bit! :'( Please review and tell me what you think! :D**

**'Til next time ;)**


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